Video Producer: Naman Shah
Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
Two days after Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws, farmers held a mahapanchayat at Eco Garden in Lucknow on Monday, 22 November.
Addressing the gathering, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that the agitation will not stop because issues like the MSP guarantee law, seed bill, and milk policy are yet to be resolved.
He further said that the Centre should hold talks with farm unions, otherwise the protests will not be withdrawn.
According to NDTV, farm unions at the event also expressed dissatisfaction over the way the Lakhimpur Kheri case was being probed, in which the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra has been arrested for his alleged role in the murder of four farmer leaders. They have demanded that the minister be sacked, arguing that a fair investigation is not possible otherwise.
Tikait had earlier given a 'Lucknow Chalo' call, inviting farmers, labourers, and youths to attend the mahapanchayat in big numbers.
Displaying distrust in the PM’s announcement, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers' unions, had stated on Sunday that it would continue to occupy the six protest sites until the legislation is withdrawn in the Parliament's winter session.
Farmer leaders also have expressed that until a law is passed on minimum support price (MSP), the protests will continue.
Tikait had said in a tweet in Hindi that the reforms being talked about by the government are fake and the plight of farmers will only stop when a law on MSP is made.
After a meeting between farmers unions following PM Modi’s announcement, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal had announced,
“SKM's pre-decided programmes will continue as planned, including the Kisan panchayat in Lucknow on 22 November, gatherings at all borders on 26 November and the march to Parliament on 29 November."Balbir Singh Rajewal, farmer leader.
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